The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-03
THE EUROPEAN FEVER.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Denounces the FASH
ion of Educating Americans Abroad.
Letter Chicago Inter Ocean,
1t is grand mistake to educate children in
these old monarchical countries, for there is
nothing more insidious than this hateful prin-
ciple of caste and class. ( know American
lady the wife of an English brewer, living in
provincial town, who wished TO send her little
daughter to a dancing-school. But when she
learned that there one school for the ''coun-
try gentry and another for the Grades people,"
her American ideas of equality compelled her to
keep the child at home. We can see it's influence
on our ministers. consuls, and journalists who
live for years abroad They soon become snobs
and put snpercilious airs before their country
men and women who may chance to go to them
for favors protection. If mon and women of
mature years SO soon fall victims TO this in
fuence how much more readily must children
be affected who grow up in such an atmosphere.
The future statesmen of America should live in
element of freedom and equality, imbued
with the true spirit of democracy and undazzled
by contact with the gilded emblems Of old world
royalty and nobility.
There are here in Europe multitudes of Ameri-
can children who speak French and German
better than their own language. 1 met, the
other evening, family from Ohio and found
the son. boy of twelve. reading Cooper's novels
and ''Uncle Toms Cabin" in German. II I'M
derstand them better in German than in Eng
lish," he remarked, with a strong foreign accent
The parents spoke of the fact with evident salts
faction. Another American family, in which
are five daughters, who have made agreat sue
cess in science, medicine. painting, and music,
employ German or French in their home circle,
and cannot pronounce an English sentence with
cut making a blunder of some kind.
In the educated world, great emphasis is laid
just now on the necessity of acquiring foreign
languages. But Herbert Spencer has we'll said,
that as language is only vehicle for conveying
ideas, it is far more important to get ideas than
vehicles. It is better for farmer to have
thousand bushels of corn to carry to market in
lumber wagon than six vehicles and no
corn. Oar children may learn to converse
fuently in half dozen languages. and yet have
no use for either, from lack of ideas. If they
could learn to speak and write good English,
with the and elegance of Macaulev, pa
rents might well be satisfied. The Importance
of the English language is increasing every dag.
while that of others is steadily decreasing
Professor Max Muller estimates that at the end
of the two next centuries there will be l. 837.-
268, 900 people speaking English. which will then
be the dominant tongue of the world
A friend whom me here few days ago, on
her way back to America, said: '"The mistake
of my life was bringing my daughters to
Europe to be educated. One is married in Ger
many and one in Italy, and as prefer living in
my own country, must leave them and go home
alone, burdened by the anxiety that sooner
later my daughters also may feel the same
yearning for their native land and early assoca-
tons, and find when too late that wedding for
eicners is grave mistake. The broad differ
ences IL national habits, tastes, and opinions are
not readily harmonized."
Some say they come here to live more cheaply,
house rent. clothes, servants. amusements,
can be obtained for less money here than in the
were rational in their expenditures at home
here, the difference would be trifng. In
America they live in large houses, keep horses
and carriages. entertain company. Here they
take modest apartment, drive In cabs, and give
few dinner parties.
Numbers of Americans come to Europe to hide
themselves from disappointments and irregular
proceedings at home, and others flock here from
sheer WEAKNESS of the common lot of humanity,
in the same spirit in which and women
seclude themselves in monasteries and converts.
To all such, the solitude of great city in for
egn land, is indeed solace and protection.
But it is grave mistake for the multltudes OF
poor students of both sexes to crowd to Paris in
search of the rudiments of education in the arts
and sciences. Many of these young Americans,
who have not one particle of genius IN any di-
rection, practicing the most rigid economy
distinction in painting sculpture, music, and
the drama. Most of these might have learned
their incapacity by studying a few years at
home.